Fetal Cardiology and Fetal Echo- Cardiology is relatively new field to India and has major impact on clinical practice of Sonologists, Obstetricians and Pediatricians.
During Pregnancy, normal ultrasound is carried out as general practice but there are certain congenital diseases which are not visible in normal ultrasound and can thus get ignored.
The need is therefore to get early screening and detection of any fetal cardiac defect for appropriate future decisions to be made. Fetal echo is an evaluation done via ultrasound to assess the heart of the unborn baby.
Not all pregnant women need a fetal echocardiogram. For most women, a basic ultrasound will show that all four chambers of their baby’s heart have developed. Treating obstetrician may recommend fetal echocardiography test if previous tests detected an abnormal heartbeat in the fetus.
Unborn child is at risk for a heart abnormality or other disorder present at birth
Have a family history of heart disease
Taken certain medications or been exposed to medications that can cause heart defects, such as medications used to treat epilepsy or prescription acne drugs
Already have a child with a heart condition
Used drugs or alcohol during your pregnancy
Other medical conditions, including rubella, type 1 diabetes, lupus, or phenylketonuria, which is an inability to break down an important amino acid called phenylalanine